Shifting Tides Play Therapy

03/22/2026

03/22/2026

Worries can feel big… but here’s something reassuring:

Many worries are actually developmental.
They’re part of a growing brain learning what feels safe, what’s new, and what matters.

So if your child is anxious, this message can help them hear:
“I’m not broken. My brain is learning.”

This visual is a gentle way to normalise worry, reduce shame, and open up calm, curious conversations at home or in the classroom.

To save, click on the image, tap the three dots, and choose Save.
If you’d like the boy version, comment BOY below.

When Worries Take Over, the Toolkit for Parents & Educators - Link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.

03/22/2026

Children bloom in homes where repair matters more than perfection.❣️

03/22/2026

On tomorrow, we remember and celebrate Fred Rogers with one of his own astute observations: “Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children play is serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood.”

03/22/2026

Let us know what you think 👀





📷 ©2018 INA, India

03/22/2026

03/19/2026

Some children have thoughts that won’t leave them alone.

Thoughts that say something bad might happen.
Thoughts that make them feel responsible for keeping everyone safe.
Thoughts that bring a wave of anxiety that feels too big to ignore.

So they wash.
Or check.
Or repeat something again and again.

Not because they want to…
But because their brain is trying to make the fear stop.

This is what OCD can look like for a child.

And when we understand what is happening underneath the behaviour, we can begin to respond with compassion instead of confusion.

If you’re supporting a child who struggles with intrusive thoughts, anxiety, or repeated behaviours, learning about the OCD cycle can make a powerful difference.

For deeper support strategies, my Managing Big Feelings Toolkit is designed to help children understand and regulate overwhelming emotions.
Link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.

03/19/2026

From .schwartz.12 —
Dear Friends and Colleagues: URGENT PLEASE SHARE

Mark your calendars- we will be holding a large, multi-sector rally at the Nova Scotia Legislature on:

Friday, March 27th at Noon.

Details will follow, but this “All Hands On Deck” rally will be a culmination of advocacy work at every level by hundreds of volunteers since February 23rd.

Did anyone notice the polling released today? Premier Houston’s popularity has plummeted by 11%. In a multi-party system, this is the equivalent of falling off a cliff. Our voices and our efforts are having an impact, and this news is proof.

Don’t forget- you can still call to speak at Public Bills by calling 902-424-8941. This process is currently taking longer than usual owing to the large volume of people who are demanding to be heard. Keep it up!

We have time to plan, to organize and to rally our friends and neighbours to join us. Students are anxious to stand shoulder to shoulder with us. The people of this province want us to succeed.

Let’s leave it all on the field on the 27th.

Photo by Stoo Metz.

03/19/2026

When a child is anxious, their behaviour is communication — not defiance.
So often, the things we’re told to do actually make anxiety louder, not quieter.

This visual shares 10 common don’ts when supporting an anxious child — not to shame or blame, but to gently reframe. Anxiety isn’t something children can logic their way out of. It’s something they need help feeling safe through.

If you’re supporting a child who worries, shuts down, melts down, or needs constant reassurance, you’re not doing anything wrong. You’re responding to a nervous system that’s working overtime — and with the right tools, that system can learn to settle.

If anxiety is taking over daily life, the When Worries Take Over Toolkit gives you practical, brain-based tools to help children understand their worries, calm their bodies, and build real coping skills — without pressure or punishment.
Link in comments below ⬇️ or via Linktree Shop in Bio.

03/19/2026

Today on Close the Gap Day, we're reminded that progress for First Nations children and young people is not inevitable, it must continue to be fought for. At the Foundation, we acknowledge what the evidence is telling us: too many outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children are worsening, stalled, or improving far too slowly. Targets relating to children's development, safety, and wellbeing, including in early childhood, out‑of‑home care, youth detention, and family violence remain well off track, or are worsening. These aren't just numbers, but real children and families in communities experiencing consequences of systems that continue to fail them. Incremental improvements are not enough when the stakes have been so high for so long.

We welcome the establishment of the National Commission for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children and Young People and the appointment of -Anne Hunter as the National Commissioner, and will continue to support the Commission's work. Closing the gap for children and young people requires all of us to join together with sustained action, community‑led solutions, and the courage to enact change to systems that continue to cause harm. As an organisation, we recommit to listening, partnering, and advocating, particularly where children’s voices are missing and where decisions are still made about First Nations children rather than with them. Close the Gap is not a moment, it is a responsibility we carry every day.

03/19/2026

Connection Is the Starting Point

This quote speaks to a core truth often misunderstood in parenting and education: connection is not something a young person earns through compliance. It is the condition that allows their nervous system to settle enough to access self-control, problem-solving, and resilience.

Why Withholding Connection Backfires

When a child is dysregulated or struggling, their brain shifts into survival mode. Removing warmth or relational contact in these moments doesn’t teach them to behave better — it intensifies the alarm in their system. The part of the brain needed for learning from mistakes shuts down when connection is withdrawn.

Behaviour Is a Signal, Not a Test

A child’s behaviour is rarely a measure of respect. More often, it is a signal of unmet needs, overwhelm, or lagging skills. Viewing behaviour through a brain-based lens helps adults shift from “How do I make them stop?” to “What support does their nervous system need right now?”

Connection Restores Regulation

A calm adult presence is one of the most powerful tools we have. Eye contact that reassures, a steady tone, a gentle moment of attunement — these are the interventions that help a child’s stress response deactivate. When they feel connected, regulation becomes possible again.

Relationship Before Correction

Setting boundaries with warmth creates dramatically better outcomes than withdrawing affection until a child ‘earns’ it back. Discipline is about teaching, not punishing. And children learn best from adults they feel anchored to, not those they fear losing connection with.